Combined fire screen and furniture holder



Y Get, 4, 1932. B. STEINER 1,881,333

COMBINED FIRE SCREEN AND FURNITURE HOLDER Filed Aug. 9, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY- Oct. 4, 1932. B. ST 1 881533 COMBINEP FIRE SCREEN AND FURNITURE HOLDER Patented Get. 4, 1932 PATENT OFFICE] IBERNHARD STEINER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

cor/113mm) FIRE scanner AND FURNITURE HOLDER Application filed. August 9, 1930; Serial No. 474,189;

This invention relates to improvements in combined screens and furniture holders, and has more particular relation to improvements in fire screens so arranged that the screen be 3 comes a receptacle for a bridge tableand chairs. I V

The object of the invention is to provide a fire screen formed of recessed panels so constructed that a folding bridge table and fold- 1o ing chairs may be secured and concealed withinthe recesses when not in use, without dcstroying the usefulness of the screen as such.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen with its leaves so arranged that 3 articles of furniture may be secured between them and fully concealed.

The invention consists of a number of hinged panels having decorated faces and revcessedin their back faces for the-reception of f) articles of furniture to be concealed therein.

The invention further consists of a series of hinged panels having decorated front" faces .and recessed in their rear faces for the reception and concealment of folding furniture.

:5: The invention has further objects all of which will be hereinafter more particaularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the screen with a folding bridge table and folding chairs concealed therein.

Figure 2 represents a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 represents a rear elevation of the same.

Figure 4 represents a rear elevation of the screen with the folding table and folding chairs in position and with the end panels open to show the arrangement of the chairs, and Figure 5 represents a horizontal section of the devices on the line 55, of Figure 4-.

Described in general terms, this particular invention is designed to obviate the neces- "sity of placing the folding card or bridge tables and chairs back of articles of furniture in a room or in a cupboard or the like, and to keep them always in locations where they may be readily set up for use without bringin g them from remote places of-concealment.

The invention also obviates the placing of these tables and chairs which are awkward in size to go into cupboards, back of'art-icles of furniture, such as davenports orthe like, which is the common practice to-day. This r usual practice results in the scratching of the walls and marring of the furniture back of which the tables and chairs are placed.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 represents the central or main panel of the screen. This is suitably decorated on'its front face with any desirable decorative design in keeping with the decorations of the room in which it is to be placed in front of the fire place.

The panel is made up, as shown in Figure 1, of a rectangular wood frame 2, properly secured together and covered on its front with a thin panel of wood veneer or plastic board 3 upon which the decoration is painted or otherwise affixed. 7

The frame 2 is provided at its two lower corners with diagonal metal plates4 within which the lower corners of the bridge table may be-placed after the table has been collapsed and its legs doubled intoit in a man ner well known in the art.

A movable latching plate 6 is attached to the upper part of the frame 2 and falls into position automatically back of the tableafter it has been placed in the recess 7 formed by C the frame 2, and thus secures the table in 1 position with its decorative top facing toward the rear.

Hinged to each side edge of the panel 1, are two side panels 8 and 9, and these side panels in turn at their outer edges are hinged respectively to concealing panels 10 and 11.

All of these panels are made up in a similar manner from a frame covered with veneer board or other thin material upon which the decorative design is placed. Of course if desired the cover 3 may be of some fabric stretched over the frame and suitably painted. If this latter form of cover is employed, suitable wood stops are secured to the frame 2 against which the inner part of the table rests, so as to protect the fabric.

The form of hinge employed is that usual in screens, whereby the leaves may be turned in either direction to provide a suitable angle for placing the screen upon the floor. The lower edges of the frames 2 are formed with slight projections 12 which rest upon the floor and cause the screen to balance prop erly and find a firm foundation, but at the same time allow the screen to be easily moved about byproviding for a minimum of friction in drawing it from place to place. i

The hollow rear portion of eachof the panels 8 and 9 as shown in Figure 4, is intended to receive in each instance, two folding chairs 13, whichare placed in an upright position within thepanel with the leg portions of the chair resting against the metal for the reception of collapsible chairs, adjustplates 14 at the respective corners, and a center metal plate 15 l ofsufficient width to hold the adjoininglegs of two chairs within the panel. Twoautomatically operated retaining latches 16: are arranged on. each ofv the panel frames 8 and '9 to hold the chairs in position but permit them to "be instantly withdrawnywhen desired. L H

It willbe understoodthat'the device may beconstructed with a central panel. and two side panels only, butinzsuch a structure the rear view of the screen would be unsightly because the chairs 113 would show. ltherew fore prefer to. form the screen with additional panels 10 and 11 which aresimilar-to the panels;8 and 9 except that the retaining 'clampsor plates 14 and 15 and the latches 16 are oinitt'ed,'theseend panels being recessed of a depth to receive one-half the thickness of the chairs when the panels are doubled in to position over the panels 8. and 9, as shown The outside surfaces of the panels 10 and 11 are similarly decoratedto thetop of'the table 5 and thepanels'S and 10, .and 9. and 11 are secured together respectively by, metal studs and latches, l7 and 17;.

It,will-be seen from the above that the screenwhich is ordinarily used as a fire screen may be also used in other positions in the room where both the front face and the rear face are exposed, as the decorationwof the panels 10 and 11 harmonizes with the decoration of the top of the table 5 and thechairs are fully; concealed.

By this means both sidesof-the screenare decoratedand the factthat a table and chairs are concealed within them is concealed.

At the same time both the table and chairs are instantly accessible, and may be drawn from, their recesses and used,and asreadily replaced. a i

It is obvious that with a screen such as;

shown in the present improvement, that a very convenient and accessible receptacle for a bridge table and four chairs is provided,

and that the article of furniture-in which they are stored is also one of, a decorative nature that may ,be utilized either as a fire screen or in any other screen capacity, and obviatesthenecess ty of storing a table and;

namental screen panels recessedat their rear faces, end wings hinged to the end screen panels and alsorecessed in their rear faces able retaining devices for holding the chairs inthe screen recesses, and. securing devices whereby the end wings may be folded over the end screen wings containing the chairs and secured in position to completely conceal the chairs and present an unbroken outward ornamental appearance.

2. In a combined screen and furniture re ceptacle, the combination with a series of or namental screen wings'hinged together: at

their adjoining edges and formed with recesses at their rear sides for the reception of a collapsible ornamental table and chairs, corner plates for iolding the lower ends of the chairs and table in position within the wings with the ornamental surfaces of the table outward and ornamental end wings hinged to the end screen wings to fold over against the same and conceal the chairs and thus present an unbroken ornamental surface back and front of the screen.

' In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

BERNHARD STEINER I 1. The'combination with a plurality of or-. 

